Behind the Brand – Meet Susan from TMC Ventures Europe

February 27, 2017/in Uncategorized /by Simon Etchell

Behind the Brand

It’s the turn of Susan Warris-Liepa from TMC Ventures Europe, along with her husband Arnie Liepa, they have built an international distribution and marketing company and they are the exclusive distributors of the Enzymedica Digestive Enzyme brand in the UK and Ireland.

Tell us about yourself and your company…

Like many family owned businesses, my husband and I started our boutique distribution and marketing company because we couldn’t find “good-enough” health product for our needs.

We moved to the States about 20 years ago, and got introduced to a very talented integrative doctor, who used plant-based supplements, particularly digestive enzymes, as part of the repair and healing process for the body. I’ve always been a healthy eater and a fan of natural and organic products, yet had no idea back then as to the wide range of health benefits that digestive enzymes can bring.

As I was in my early 30’s and began to have more digestive issues when eating my favourite foods such as bread, pastry and pasta. After a pancake brunch, I would need to lie down and take a morning nap. I began to bloat around the belly whenever I had eaten, and found myself drawn to elastic waists and lycra leggings! It became clear that I was sensitive to wheat and I already knew from a younger age that I had a sensitivity to cheese and milk. The introduction to digestive enzyme supplements was very timely.

When I realized what a difference it made to me personally, to take an enzyme supplement with each meal, I also learnt to cut back on foods that contained gluten or dairy. I was feeling happier and my belly was much happier. My husband also started to take supplemental enzymes and we saw positive changes in his digestive health – no more acid reflux and not as much bloating after a big meal.

Having experienced the benefits of digestive enzymes first hand we started to research and learn more about them. It was fascinating to learn how vital enzymes are for every chemical reaction that takes place in the body, and as we only have a finite amount of digestive enzymes, it is really important to supplement them to support our health as we age

You may remember from school biology lessons that proteases, amylases and lipases are all forms of digestive enzymes and help the body digest food and assimilate nutrients from proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and plant fibres. Our body needs enzymes to function properly. Not only do we need them for healthy digestion, but we also need them to live as without them we wouldn’t be able to breathe, swallow, drink, eat and digest our food. Enzymes truly are “the spark of life”.

What had also begun to happen at the same time, was that on my visits home to England I was packing different supplements and increasing amounts of enzyme products to help our family members with various health issues. Living in the States back then we had access to so many great products that the family couldn’t buy in the UK.

The family used to joke that my suitcase was like a travelling health food store! As well as helping our own family members with health issues we started getting requests from friends and their family members for nutritional help. The most common requests were for “something natural to help with my indigestion” and “one of your products that makes me feel better after I’ve eaten”. The more we read and researched the more drawn we were to digestive and therapeutic enzymes as a very natural way to help the body with many different health issues.

What exactly are digestive enzymes?

Enzymes are complex protein molecules that are manufactured by all plant and animal cells.

Enzymes are some of the most valuable “tools” within our body. We like to refer to digestive enzymes as being like “a pair of scissors” that cut the protein chains of all foods we eat, enabling the nutritional elements to become small enough to be absorbed effectively by the cells of the body.

According to Dr. Edward Howell, pioneer of Enzyme Therapy, “Enzymes are substances that make life possible. They are needed for every chemical reaction that takes place in the human body. Without enzymes, no activity at all would take place. Neither vitamins, minerals, nor hormones can do any work without enzymes”.

We know that good health starts with proper digestion and good digestion relies on the right enzymes in the right amounts being at the right place and time. As we age we become more challenged by various forms of stress, environmental pollution, chemicals, and our emotional issues. These deplete our body’s natural ability to make enough enzymes to meet the demands of daily life.

In addition, enzymes assist in all chemical reactions taking place in our body; including the regeneration of cells/tissues and the elimination of waste products/toxins as well as supporting our immune system. In short, enzymes make things happen!

How did you get started as the exclusive UK and Irish distributor for Enzymedica?

Digestive enzymes are probably one of the least understood yet most beneficial health food supplements available. They can make such a positive health change in so many people’s lives, whether adults or children. It was an irresistible opportunity to be able to bring the highest quality digestive enzyme supplements to the UK.

We’d been introduced to the Enzymedica brand of digestive enzymes after listening to a presentation by Tom Bohager, the founder of Enzymedica. Once we tried this brand ourselves (and with our family members in England) we knew this was a far better product than others we had used. The Enzymedica brand simply wasn’t available in the UK, so my husband picked up the phone and connected with their International Sales Director. The rest is history………

What were you doing in a previous life?

I studied Food Marketing Sciences at university, and my first corporate role was in the Head Office of one of the UK’s largest supermarkets. My role was product and brand marketing in the food division, so I learnt a wealth of business skills that help me today. After relocating with my husband’s company to America, I decided to leave the corporate world and follow my passion – to help people with their health and wellness – initially training to become a clinical reflexologist.

Overtime I opened my own health studio and brought together a team of practitioners, providing a range of integrative health services. This, combined with learning from doctors and health practitioners in the integrative health field led me to an increasing awareness and understanding of using natural, healthy supplements to support my own health. As I became healthier myself I started to share my knowledge with my friends, family and clients.

My husband has a wealth of business experience in international sales and operations, working with manufacturers, distributors and re-sellers worldwide. So, together our skill sets are very complimentary for our work today.

Why natural?

I come from a family of keen gardeners. My parents and grandparents both owned allotment plots when I was a child, so I grew up with the taste of fresh, seasonal and locally grown produce. So as far as I’m concerned working with natural products is the only way to go. I’m very interested in health and nutrition, and as a clinical reflexologist I’ve been working with natural health treatments for a long time. There are far too many chemicals and pollutants in today’s world, and so many health problems that are created by eating unhealthy, processed foods. If I can bring natural, healthy supplements to the UK market place, that help people with their health, then I feel that I’m doing something extremely worthwhile.

What’s your USP? What sets you apart from your competitors?

From a TMC Ventures company perspective I believe that we have four key elements that sets us apart:

Our Partners – our supplier partners are carefully selected using our key quality/ efficacy/ trust/relationship criteria that we have developed over the years of working closely with American manufacturers. We become the exclusive distributor to the brands that we choose to work with, providing them with a unique UK/European presence. The name TMC Ventures is not known by the consumer, as they just see Enzymedica UK.

Enzyme Education – Enzymedica, as a company, places a high value on education, which fits very well with our belief that education is key and knowledge has the power to change lives.

Our goal of educating people about the importance of enzymes in overall health keeps us motivated every day.

Our Product Portfolio – we only supply “Best in Class” nutritional products, that are differentiated from anything else in the UK market place. There is nothing else available in the UK like the Enzymedica digestive enzyme supplements. The Enzymedica products are anywhere from 5 to 20 times higher in efficacy than any other enzyme supplement available on the retail shelf. This makes Enzymedica supplements by far the best value in terms of price per capsule. Enzymedica has won over 50 awards in the last decade (awards from both retailers and consumers alike). Enzymedica continues to be the best selling digestive enzyme brand in the USA (as measured by SPINS a 3^rd party market research company)

Our Customer Service – we are a family owned/run company and we work hard at doing our very best in caring for our customers. We treat our customers like we want to be treated and have built some wonderful relationships & friendships. We stand behind the Enzymedica brand and offer a 100% money back guarantee.

From an Enzymedica perspective they have many great points that set them apart from other enzyme supplement companies:

Enzymedica are known as The Enzyme Experts. Creating proprietary blends of high quality enzymes – nothing else out there like these enzyme products. Highest potency products, 5 – 20 times the effectiveness of any other enzyme brands.

Unique technology called Therablend™ – multiple blends of enzymes that work at all Ph’s and all temperatures in the body.

Most manufacturers use just single strains of enzymes, i.e. a single strain of protease, or a single strain of lipase. Each enzyme strain only works at a very specific pH and temperature. Enzymedica uses their unique Therablend™ technology, to include enzyme strains that work at every pH and temperature in the human body. This allows them to works 3 x stronger and 6 x faster than other enzyme products. So, due to this blending technology Enzymedica is always the best value for money (amount of enzyme activity per capsule).

Vegetarian, Vegan and Kosher ingredients – no fillers, flow agents or excipients.

Award winning company – In the past decade, Enzymedica has received more than 50 industy awards including multiple Better Nutrition Magazine’s People’s Choice Awards, many Best of Supplements Awards and numerous VITY and Nexty Awards.

Green initiatives at point of manufacture – As responsible members of the business community, we desire to leave the environment better than we found it. At Enzymedica, we understand that there is an emissions footprint associated with our business operations. We partnered with Green Mountain Energy Company to take a leadership role in calculating and offsetting 100% of the total calculated carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions associated with our annual electricity, corporate owned vehicles and corporate air travel. Through this process, Enzymedica is taking responsibility for its share of CO2 emissions and has committed to being part of the solution to global warming. By means of these initiatives, Enzymedica’s business operations since 2009 have been “carbon neutral.”

Corporate Facility Improvements and Responsible Commitments in Day-to-Day Operation:
113 solar panels to reduce C02 emissions and conserve thousands of kilowatts of energy each month
“Carbon Neutral” Certified by Green Mountain Energy, with continual offset of carbon footprint including facility, vehicle and air travel emissions
Solar block shades installed in all office windows
Low energy fluorescent lights throughout the facility
Facility built using all recycled steel
Volatile organic chemical (VOC) -free paints, drywall and carpet
Motion detection lights throughout the building hallways, offices and restrooms
Virtual IT servers to save in electric usage
Recycled paper used for packing and shipping
Green Seal Certified® and environmentally friendly cleaning agents used

Community Support and Educational Outreach – In 2009, the Enzymedica Founder, Tom Bohager, founded The Autism Hope Alliance (AHA). See http://autismhopealliance.org/

The Autism Hope Alliance embodies hope for families facing the diagnosis of Autism through education, financial support and volunteerism.

The Autism Hope Alliance is the first non-profit foundation for Autism to emerge from the natural foods industry.
Providing Hope and Help for Autism Families

Annual sponsor of several other noted non-profits within the autism community, including Generation Rescue, Talk About Curing Autism (TACA), and AutismOne. Enzymedica also donates to Vitamin Angels, which provides vital nutrition to individuals and families in need.

(Scientific research has discovered beneficial links in using digestive enzymes to help re-balance the gut-brain connection.)

What kind of feedback have you received from customers?

We have a rather unique situation in that choosing to create an international Distribution & Marketing company we have two sets of customers; our wholesalers and retailers (mainly independent health food stores) and a growing base of end-user customers, who purchase direct from our web-site

Customers love the Enzymedica products. Once they try them and get a positive health benefit we get plenty of repeat purchases and customer referrals.

We get to hear customer stories on a regular basis, and to know that the Enzymedica supplements are making a positive difference in someone’s health is extremely rewarding.

It’s not just the adults with their digestive health problems; indigestion, acid reflux, wind and stomach cramping; it’s hearing about a child’s health that has improved dramatically after taking an Enzymedica product. Those customer stories are so heart-warming.

What’s the next big launch / project coming up for you?

At the beginning of April, we’re introducing two new Enzymedica products, BeanAssist™ and LypoGold™, at the Natural and Organic Products Expo. This show is the UK’s biggest trade show for buyers from health food stores. We also get to meet nutritionists, dieticians and pharmacists – it’s a great event for the British natural health industry.

What’s your big dream?

To have digestive enzymes as well-known as vitamins and minerals. Through education, to help the British public gain awareness and understanding about the critical importance of digestive enzymes. Increasing the understanding that enzymes are essential for the long- term health of everyone that eats cooked and processed foods, and how Enzymedica is a truly best-in-class product, that makes a real difference to our digestive health.

To spread the educational word about the benefits and value of taking digestive enzymes on a daily basis. To have Enzymedica enzymes be a first-choice purchase, when people are looking for a natural alternative for health issues like indigestion, bloating after meals, digestive health problems and food intolerance issues. To know that even more people are finding digestive comfort by using the Enzymedica products.

Where can we find your products? Independent Health food stores, all Revital Health Food stores and select Whole Foods Stores stock the retail range of Enzymedica supplements. Other Enzymedica supplements can be found at www.enzymedica.co.uk

FB: https://www.facebook.com/EnzymedicaUK/

T: https://twitter.com/enzymedicauk

Award entry guidelines for Therapists & Coaches

February 25, 2017/in Uncategorized /by Simon Etchell

We are excited that it’s AWARDS time of year again. We are pleased that Medichecks are our premier sponsor this year as we believe it is so important to take responsibility for your own health and wellbeing.

Here’s where you can see our judges line-up and some general info

We introduced the Therapist and Coaches category because we so wanted to recognise the work of the great holistic therapists and coaches in the UK.

Of course our judges can’t visit everyone for a treatment or a session (sadly) so we will be relying on what we see from your marketing and importantly your testimonials, if you are entering this category, please provide us with as much detailed information about the work you do, and also some recent testimonials, case studies for your work.

We had a great response in this category last year and look forward to this year’s entries!

We encourage you to get your fans and clients voting for you – readers votes go into the mix too!

ENTER HERE

Tell You What I Really Really Want

February 20, 2017/in Personal /by Janey Lee Grace

Are you satisfying your ideal client’s needs?

It seems like an obvious question but if you have a brand or a business, for it to be successful you need clients, a community, supporters and buyers. It never ceases to amaze me the amount of people who set up a business without first ensuing that their product or service is going to provide a solution to a problem that others are experiencing, or provide education, inspiration et al.

We’ve all seen nervous business owners on Dragons Den explaining just how brilliant their new invention is, whether it’s a widget or a new style of roller skate, we’ve seen lovely people display their tea towels printed with their poetry or offering the high net worth celebrities a teeny share in their distributer brand, when they don’t even own the IP! Obviously, they don’t get the investment… on a much smaller scale I’ve seen people launch into marketing their brand without first checking what ’need’ it provides.

At its most basic this is a case of doing some market research before you launch if possible, if you are intending to open up a sandwich shop in your locality, check first that there isn’t already four similar shops, or at the other extreme check that there is demand, if there are few businesses in the area, there may not be a need for takeaway food…

It seems obvious with the above example but not so clear for those working with their heart centred brand. Therapists, practitioners and life coaches would all do really well to ‘test’ their offerings before they invest in marketing. Ask your ‘followers’ whether they may be interested in a workshop with you BEFORE you invest in the expensive function rooms. Ask your colleagues and your social media network whether they would buy your online course BEFORE you film it and invest in paid marketing.

The big brands are good at this of course; some of the really big companies do extensive market research before a product launch to ensure they are meeting their customer’s needs. Big supermarkets discover that there are more people with allergies and so they introduce ‘Free From’ ranges. Amazon recognise that we want our goods practically instantly, so they offer same day delivery on many items… Apple are especially interesting as they created a whole raft of products that no-one even knew they ‘needed’ or wanted till they had been created… (and now few can live without them!).

You may be aware of Abraham Maslow’s ‘Hierarchy of Needs’. It’s a motivational theory in psychology which shows a five-tier model of human needs, usually depicted in the style of a pyramid. Maslow wanted to explore what motivates us, and found that some needs seem to take priority over others. Understandably our basic need for survival is at the bottom of the pyramid and then as the pyramid goes up we move past the basic needs (deficiency needs) into the areas of growth, where we look for self-fulfilment. Of course, we don’t look to ‘higher needs’ until our needs at the most basic level are satisfied.

It’s really worth asking yourself, what level are my ideal clients at? If you are working in the area of personal development, holistic health and wellbeing or spirituality, it’s likely that you will want to appeal to those people who generally have a satisfactory level of basic needs (apart from when life tips up of course and brings divorce, crisis, bankruptcy et al) and are moving into the territory of becoming ‘self-actualized:

They have their biological needs met, so they have food, drink, warmth, shelter, sleep etc.
Their safety needs are met, so they have stability, and don’t live in fear.
Their need for love and ‘belonging’ are met, they have friendship, intimacy and can give and receive affection, they have a sense of community.
Their ‘esteem’ needs are met, so they have self-respect and respect from others, in some cases they have made achievements, and have reached a certain status.

Only then do people move towards the ‘self-actualization’ needs to reach their personal potential, to seek personal growth, spiritual growth, to find meaning in their life etc.

You can read more about this in an excellent article from Simply Psychology.

The image below is from this article.

McLeod, S. A. (2016). Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Retrieved from www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html

Image featured on www.simplypsychology.org

In this article Saul McLeod states that…

‘Although we are all, theoretically, capable of self-actualizing, most of us will not do so, or only to a limited degree. Maslow (1970) estimated that only two percent of people would reach the state of self-actualization.’

How fascinating! I’m guessing that if you are reading this via my website you probably consider both yourself and your clients to be at the top of this pyramid, so it’s important to ask yourself where are your ‘ideal clients’? Who are the people that you are here to serve? How can your product or service best ‘satisfy’ the needs that those people have?

Check out Maslow’s theory in more detail and ensure you know what YOU want and need, and where you are at in the pyramid, and then get clarity on who you can help, who can you motivate? Who needs the skills you are offering to teach, or the treatments you can provide?

When you know, it will easier for you to find out where those people are, ask yourself what they are likely to be reading, where they are likely to be hanging out, then it’s easier to become more visible in the best arena for you.

So, I’ll tell you what I really really want. I want you to get more visibility for the excellent work that you do, don’t hide your light, make sure the people who need you know that you are there. If I can help you get your message out to wider audience, get in touch.

Thanks to McLeod, S. A. (2016). Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Retrieved from www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html

if you want help getting clarity on your ideal clients and what they really want (and how you can best offer it) we have limited slots available for Power Vision Strategy Calls… spend 60 mins of ’1 to 1′ with me to move you and your business forward.

Save £50 – Just £197 special promotion.

Check out the testimonials here and see what it can do for you>>

Global Woman – I’d Love Your Vote!

February 14, 2017/in News /by Janey Lee Grace

I’ve been lucky enough to be nominated for the GLOBAL WOMAN AWARDS. I love inspiring you all to follow your dreams and make an impact in your own unique way and am proud to be included in this group of brilliant and inspiring international women. I’d really love your vote!

Go HERE to VOTE>>

Thank You!

You can read my interview with Mirela Sula of Global Woman Summit HERE>>

Love Yourself First This Valentine’s Day

February 8, 2017/in News /by Janey Lee Grace

Here’s an update of a post I wrote last year about self-love for Valentine’s day…

Whether you are happily loved up this Valentine’s day, happily single or actively searching, one things for sure, unless you love yourself it’s going to be more difficult to have a healthy happy relationship with someone else. This may sound a little cosmic but I’d urge you to ask yourself how intact your self-esteem is?

Our children are constantly bombarded with messages of needing to look more ‘cool’, and look up to size zero models. When there’s an increase of self-harming in teenagers, and increasing depression, anxiety and suicide rates – surely our self-loathing has gone too far? I’m not suggesting that we all become vain and arrogant and ‘worship’ ourselves, but we could practice gratitude, a spirit of thankfulness, and recognise that we aren’t born with a lack of self-love. How many babies and young children berate themselves? None! They are immensely pleased with themselves. Low self-esteem is a learned trait, but we can ‘unlearn’ it and if we want to really experience love, it’s essential to practice self-love, or perhaps it would be better to see it as ‘self-care’.

Angela Bradshaw is the author of ‘Be in Balance’ and she says ‘When you practise being kind to yourself as a default ‘attitude’ to life, you can then be happier too – not overburdened or overwhelmed because you are being responsible to yourself first!’

You may have seen the rather odd phenomenon across blogs and documented in the women’s pages of daily newspapers about ‘Mirror fasting’. It’s a new craze started by a blogger who was concerned she was obsessed with her own appearance. But I’d like to encourage everyone to look in the mirror more often – but not in the name of vanity, to worry about your wrinkles, commiserate about greying hairs, or pull faces to tighten your jaw, indeed I think we should be looking in the mirror in order to be appreciative, to show love to ourselves as we really are.

Louise Hay, dubbed ‘The Queen of New Age’ by the New York Times, after writing ‘You Can Heal Your Life’ in 1984, (it’s sold over 35 million copies), owns the extremely successful international publishing company Hay House and is a strong advocate of self-love. Louise believes in affirmations and is a great advocate of what she calls ‘Mirror work’ – looking in the mirror several times a day and saying ‘I love you…..(and add your name). Just try it a few times (in private is fine) and you’ll realise how tricky it can feel. Most of us are so conditioned from an early age to be self-critical, and have low self-esteem because we feel we don’t look ‘attractive’ enough or we’re not in some way ‘good’ enough.

Hay House author David Hamilton has written books on kindness including the excellent book ‘The Five Side Effects of Kindness’, and he looked at the science of how the mind affects the body in his book ‘I Heart Me’. David says…

‘It’s so hard for most people (to love themselves) for two reasons. One is that they don’t know what self-love actually means, which makes it difficult knowing what to aim for, and two, that a lack of self-love is deep-rooted; mostly it’s a consequence of learning and experiences in the first 6 or 7 years of life.

One simple trick, that doesn’t require any effort like thinking positively, is to notice your body language. Your muscles always betray how you feel about yourself as you go about your day. So, at least 2 or 3 times a day, simply notice how you’re sitting, standing, walking, or interacting. Then shift your body language to something that says you feel good about yourself. If you do this consistently, you will start to shape your brain wiring for a more healthy sense of self-love.’

So if you are feeling a bit ‘Billy no-mates’ this Valentine’s day treat yourself to some self -love – go on…you’re worth it!

WIN access to ‘7 Selfies that make ALL your Relationships Great’ Online Course

February 6, 2017/in News /by Janey Lee Grace

th-1

Deborah McPhilemy believes that every success, every great business deal, every bit of happiness, joy and love stems from relationships, whether that relationship is with yourself, with others or with your higher self.

Deborah is a Relationship Empowerment Author and Speaker and she merges Spirit with Science to help people have, or create, relationships they love. She empowers with knowledge, tools and skills to improve relationships and resolve or avoid conflicts.

Going through periods of her own very dark depression, along the way Deborah studied Emotional Intelligence, Mind Power, Human Behaviour / Psychology, Metaphysics, Quantum Physics, Quantum Touch, NLP, PNI and Literacy and has created a blueprint called the ‘7 Selfie System’ that anyone can use to improve or turn their relationships around, it can be taught to anyone from 4 to 94 years old! Deborah does not pass on ANY information or skills without personally having tried and benefited from it herself.

Her expertise lies in understanding human behaviour and helping people get rid of their self-doubt, anxiety and fears and instil within them a deep sense of self-belief, she believes strongly in self-empowerment so everything she teaches and writes about is to empower people with skills, tools and knowledge to help themselves.

beautiful woman selfie in a desolate lurban landscape

Deborah’s valuable tools and teachings are accessible as an online program called ‘7 Selfies that Make All Your Relationships Great’ – for couples, singles, parents and families who want to enjoy deeper connections and have more love, passion and joy in life.

Selfie School is Now Open – Find details HERE>>

WIN access to ‘7 Selfies that make ALL your Relationships Great’ Online Course HERE>>

More information on how Deborah can help you move forward with your life can be found at www.deborahmcphilemy.com

So Much for Dry January…Now What?

January 19, 2017/in News, Personal /by Janey Lee Grace

Are you one of the people who is counting the days till the end of dry January? Maybe you identify with Chris Evans who said this week…’I don’t care if I’m two stone lighter, I’m miserable, every day feels the same!’

I work with Chris at Radio 2 and in fact worked with him years ago, when we were both at Virgin Radio as it was then (in fact he owned it for a while!). He was always a guy who could hold his beer and be discerning about a fine wine so it’s probably not surprising that he is finding dry January taxing.

So I wonder how Chris will ‘celebrate’ on Feb 1^st and if you have also given up the booze for January what will February and the rest of the year look like for you from a drinking perspective?

Many people fall into a cycle of ‘binge-detox-binge’ which can be bad for us emotionally and physically. Dr Max Pemberton wrote in The Mail

“I disagree with the underlying premise of dry January – the idea that you can make up for drinking too much over Christmas. It seems that the first month of the year always sends people a bit weird. They tend to forget everything they’ve been told about basic biology and nutrition”

He believes a few weeks of abstaining doesn’t make up for over-indulging the rest of the year. His recommendation is to do a detox only if it will have some meaningful impact on your health, most of us are aware of the damage too much alcohol can do, and there has been campaigns lately to encourage us to ‘love our liver’ but still we are far from being a temperate nation.

The reality is that none of us really know what to believe about alcohol, there are SO many different studies and reports. The Government recommendations of the amount of units we should drink across a week are really just a guess, we read reports that say alcohol in moderation is good for you, then a recent report from the Journal of American College of Cardiology says that drinking just one drink a day can be bad for your heart, they say one glass of wine or beer increased the risk of abnormal heart rhythm by eight per cent.

One thing is for certain, we live in a drinking society, it’s very social to drink, there are pubs on every corner, it’s part of our culture, and for those of us that do drink it’s not going to go away. So how would it be if we could drink with confidence, drink if we choose to, but ‘manage’ the alcohol rather than the alcohol ‘managing’ us? There is a big difference between an addict and someone who has got caught up in a habit, and for most people who drink too much it’s exactly that – a habit.

No human being was born with a taste for the hard stuff, we ‘learned’ to drink, and just as we learnt the habit we can ‘unlearn’ it or at least take control. We drink for many reasons – stress, boredom, anger, loneliness, fear, to communicate, to numb ourselves from sadness or grief, and when we established a habit of drinking, our unconscious mind which acts like a kind of reference library, ‘filed’ that action under …’that made me feel better quickly’.

Come February or any other month when you have woken up wishing you hadn’t tried to handle your drink like a fruit fly (apparently they have an astonishing alcohol threshold due to their genetic makeup), you will no doubt be saying to yourself…’I will have an alcohol free day, or I will drink only one glass of wine or have only one beer’, only to find yourself tapping away on the computer at 9pm astonished at where that bottle of wine went…. Thinking …’What happened to my resolve? ‘

Typically, you then enter into another spiral of waking during the night berating yourself for not having enough willpower and vowing to do better the next day and so it goes on….

How would you feel if I told you that nagging feeling you have that’s it’s all going to go pear shaped again once February comes around, can be changed forever? There’s no magic ‘I don’t like the taste of alcohol anymore’ pill of course, but there absolutely is the most amazing Hypnosis programme created by world renowned hypnotherapist and top selling author Georgia Foster.

Georgia is also an international speaker and creator of life changing programmes, she uses hypnosis, the window of the ‘between awake and sleep states’, where your mind can absorb at a much faster state, the alpha and theta state to train the unconscious mind, she believes we all have an incredible mind, and whether you want to learn how to drink less alcohol, improve your self-esteem, calm your mind or find love, she believes she can help. She has created the ‘7 Days to Drink Less’ online programme and it’s really effective. She won’t be trying to convince you to give up alcohol, in fact she says it doesn’t matter how much you are drinking… you can trust your phenomenal mind.

At her workshops, she encourages anyone who had a boozy night planned not to cancel, she believes you can make changes, and with hypnosis you can make these changes so much faster, you can shape your emotional relationship with yourself. Instead of allowing those inner voices – our inner critic to come in and convince us that we really do need our third or fourth drink because last time it obliterated the feeling of what was really going on….she recommends we listen to one of her recordings, a twenty five minute session which can be done anywhere, (but you must be stationary and preferably lying down), and over time (hopefully over seven days) you will have a different attitude, which is not linked to struggle or willpower but to the intuitive healthy confident part of you that recognises that doing irreparable damage to your liver, and embarrassing yourself because you are hungover is probably not the best form of ‘self-care’.

Georgia, who has featured in The Mail, The Times, and on Sky News believes we need to shut off our ‘inner critic’ so instead of the feeling of being ‘radio crazy’ with a constant inner dialogue of…’I must have another drink so I feel brave enough to…. I’d better load up on some Dutch courage before I make that phone call’… You listen to positive thoughts and suggestions which ‘re-programme’ your unconscious mind to know it’s safe to drink less alcohol.

She suggests we get back in touch with the healthy intuitive confident part of who we are.

This is not a ‘quit the drink for good’ programme, no sir. With my imperfectly natural approach that’s why I love it! – Georgia having once been a heavy drinker, who has ‘been there and got the T shirt’ still drinks now, and she doesn’t suggest you stop either, (unless you really want to). She believes you can train your mind to keep the ‘fun’ bits of choosing to drink alcohol but not the bits that cause you emotional grief, or the sense of...I have a drinking problem,’ – when it starts to impact on your life.

What we now know is that the brain is adaptable to change, Georgia says ‘remember it’s a thinking problem not a drinking problem’. The great thing about Georgia’s 7-day programme is that not only does it impact on your drinking, it makes you feel more calm and confident also.

Georgia and I are going to be doing some work together developing programmes (watch this space) so I love the fact that she believes ‘you need to honour the authentic you’.

If you know intuitively that you are putting a strain on your body, trying just a bit too hard to ‘hold your beer; or keep up with the lads, or drown your sorrows’ now is the time to take back control.

http://www.georgiafoster.com/7-days-to-drink-less-2/

My gift to you (and I hope you will come back to me and tell me how liberating it was for you) is to jack you up a 25 per cent discount on Georgia’s 7-day programme – I’M NOT ON COMMISSION!! I’m offering this because I can see the benefit so clearly and I know there are people who after just a few days of listening to this hypnosis audio will think differently about their desire and ‘need’ to drink too much.

You can get 25 per cent off Georgia’s ‘7 Days to Drink Less’ online programme HERE>>

Do You Need a Digital Detox?

January 16, 2017/in Personal /by Janey Lee Grace

If you see a piece called ‘New Year Detox’ you probably think I’m about to wax lyrical about dry January, giving up chocolate and carbs, drinking only juice and doing lots of exercise…. while all that sounds very worthy, in fact that’s not my take on the start of a new year at all.

Eminent nutritionists and holistic health experts believe that actually the Autumn is the best time to ‘detox’ by eating only cleansing foods and give our systems a rest from the ‘heavier’ foods, and Winter is the time to eat nurturing foods. If you crave warming soups and hearty winter casseroles and roasted root veg that’s probably because that’s exactly how we are meant to be nourishing ourselves in the dead of Winter. So, what do I mean by detox? Well I believe it’s the other stuff that needs to be eliminated for a while, we need a break from people and things that drain our energy.

I’m sure you’ve heard the saying ‘Some people are drains, some are radiators’ …we all have those people in our lives, be they relatives, colleagues or friends who always take the negative view, who dismiss every creative thought we have and make us feel worthless. Of course, I’m not advocating that we have a big falling out with family and friends but we can make the decision to spend more time with those people who ‘radiate’ a good energy, meet with the colleagues and friends who you know support you.

The other thing that you may need is a digital detox. For some people, it’s become a burning necessity such is their addiction, but for most it’s simply that we know how much more we could actually achieve if we set aside our phones or tablets and got on with the task in hand. If you know you are one of those people who can’t go five minutes without checking your phone, it’s the first thing you do when you wake up, and the last thing at night, you find yourself surreptitiously sending a text in meetings, in the cinema – a digital detox January could be just the thing for you.

A recent study in Japan found that if you want to get more work done you need to not only turn off your phone but move it out of sight, the mere presence of a phone is distracting. The study also found that when in conversation with others, placing a mobile phone in view has a negative effect on the quality of face to face communication.

So, have a digital detox and a ‘negative friend’ detox, just for a couple of weeks…I look forward to seeing just how productive you are!

What’s Your Vision For 2017?

January 10, 2017/in News /by Janey Lee Grace

It’s that time when many of us are busy joining gyms, vowing to go on a diet (starting tomorrow), giving up alcohol for the month, promising ourselves we will get up earlier, be on time….whatever it is we feel we ought to change, this is the month for setting ourselves up to fail.

My suggestion is NOT to try and set resolutions, instead focus on getting more of what you want – and what you want to give. Ask yourself what’s my vision for the future? Most of the people I work with are ‘heart centred’ business owners, that means they aren’t coming from a place of wanting to earn fortunes, or run an empire, they often have a skill, a gift, they know that their product or service can make a difference, and they really genuinely want to serve. All good, right? Well yes, so long as they have also looked at what they want – what’s the big dream?

Often those of us with holistic businesses, especially those of us who are passionate about sharing our message with a wider audience forget to look after ourselves; and our own needs and desires, sometimes we even forget why we are doing it all! The start of a new year is a great time to review what you have been doing, get real clarity on what you want for your life and your business, and ask yourself – as a key person of influence what do I want to achieve this year – and importantly why?

I speak to lots of clients who – without realising it, are aiming too small, when asked what they really want for their work, their answer will be …I want to earn enough to give up the day job…or I want to reach more people because I know I can help them…. Sadly, neither of those statements give a clear message to the fairy godmother / genie / universe – of exactly what outcome you want.

Be specific; create a vision board instead of a set of resolutions, remember the left brain right brain connection and use both words and pictures.

Check out my post on how to create a vision board HERE>>

Here’s some questions you can ask yourself to get you started…

How can I get in touch with and ‘own’ my YOU-nique Brilliance?

(Yes, I do believe in singing your own praises – not playing small)

Have I got clarity on my brand message, and which parts of my story I want to share?

(Often the personal bit that you don’t want to share is actually your ‘gold’. I love the saying ‘Let your mess be your message’)

Who are my ideal clients, if I want to focus on attracting and helping one ‘niche’ to start with, who is that person and why?

(You may think your product or service is genuinely perfect for everyone, but for your first ‘project’ choose one specific client group)

If I could have one big wish for 2017 for my business what would it be?

(Be specific, think big)

What can I do right now to move towards this outcome? Do I need to contact someone or get more training / investment / a joint venture?

Remember you don’t have to get it right…you absolutely DO have to get it going…

If you’d like help getting clarity on your unique vision… spend 60 mins of ’1 to 1′ with me for a power visioning strategy session to get the clarity you need to move you and your business forward in 2017.

Check out the testimonials here and see what it can do for you>>

The Obi-Wan Kenobi Game

December 14, 2016/in Personal /by Janey Lee Grace

‘There is no trying, there’s only do or do not’ Yoda

Quite harsh isn’t it? When most of us are gripped by procrastination and fear especially when it comes to getting our work out to a wider audience. I’ve always been very confident as an interviewer, presenter and journalist, but I have given myself a new challenge recently and written a novel, it’s completely different from any other written work I have ever done and I’m out of my comfort zone.

Until I was reminded of that timely quote, I realised I have been telling people for ages that I am ‘trying’ to find the time to complete the novel’ ‘trying to seek out an agent to represent me’. I was asking everyone I could think of what I should do, when and how. The truth is I have been procrastinating, playing for time, because of the fear of being judged, what if the novel is utter drivel? What if I can’t get a book deal?

Of course I wouldn’t be the first, many successful authors have faced rejection before they found success but as I am always telling clients, Inertia won’t pull you to success…You don’t have to get it right, you DO have to get it going. The answer lies within you, that’s what we are always told, yet most of us doubt ourselves and look outside of ourselves for answers, advice, validation and assurance.

I’m not suggesting there is anything wrong with asking for help, seeking support and sharing with others, it’s critical in fact, but in recent years I’ve come to realise how important it is to trust your gut instinct, not just on the big things, but on the little things too and be willing to step out even if you feel a little afraid.

I love it when you read a book and a line pops out at you, it’s those lightbulb moments that make all the difference, recently I was reminded by Gabrielle Bernstein that ‘Energy flows where your attention goes’ and by Brendan Burchard that most of us are ‘driven by fear not freedom’. In ‘The Motivation Manifesto’ he talks about the ‘worriers’ – those members of your family, friends, teachers, peers, who mean well, they are thoughtful, loving and protective, but they are fearful and anxious so they don’t want us to tread anything other than the well-worn paths they have trodden.

Brendan says ‘We must protect ourselves from being limited by those who care for us, as much as by those who blatantly oppose us’. If you’re a parent you will know about the agonising fear when your toddler first scales the dizzy heights of the climbing frame, you want them to explore but one hand is ready to dial 999 or rush to casualty when they come a-toppling down, as a mum or dad I’m guessing you didn’t ever wave your child off saying…’Have a great day, take lots of risks!’.

On the Hay House writers workshop Julia Cameron gave the participants a fascinating exercise to do. She calls it the ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ or ‘Yoda’ exercise, (if you aren’t a Star Wars fan you can call it Glenda the Good Witch). You probably remember scenes in Star Wars with Obi-Wan and Anakin where he expresses dismay that his advice isn’t being heard…

Obi-Wan says to Anakin…’Why do I get the feeling you’re going to be the death of me?’

He replies ‘Don’t say that, master. You’re the closest thing I have to a father’

Obi-Wan says ‘Then why don’t you listen to me?’

The idea of the exercise is to ask questions of your older wiser self, and then – here’s the important bit – actually listen. Write down what comes to mind and you could be amazed at the wisdom and how pertinent it is to what’s going on in your life.

Ask ‘Older wiser self…what do I need to know?
What do I need to do?
What do I need to try?
What do I need to grieve / let go of ?
What do I need to celebrate?

Only give yourself 20 to 30 seconds to answer each question, that way you don’t have time to push away the thoughts and continue with the inner critic, just write down the first answer that pops into your head, the chances are that your older wiser self will know exactly what’s needed and you will find the answer within you. Then you will know that it only takes a small amount of courage to get going on whatever it is that has been holding you back.